DVD Mini Reviews

Starting Monday, I will be revealing my Top Ten Best and Worst of 2012 lists. For now, here are the last of the DVD's I've watched for movies released this year.

Safety Not Guaranteed
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, Mark Duplass
Plot: A group of journalists investigate a newspaper ad looking for a time travel partner.
Thoughts: Some parts of this comedy are really cute and Plaza is a great indie leading lady. However, for every sweet, funny moment, there are just as many cliches.
Grade: C

Bernie
Starring: Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Shirley McClaine
Plot: A seemingly sweet funeral director may have a very surprising dark side.
Thoughts: Every one seemed to love this movie as it's made it's way onto Top Ten lists and received award nominations. I found it to be impressive only because they managed to get Jack Black to not act like an idiot for an hour and forty minutes. McConaughey is having some kind of year, though.
Grade: C-

Sound of My Voice
Starring: Brit Marling
Plot: Two investigative journalists infiltrate a cult where the members worship a woman who claims to be from the future.
Thoughts: I absolutely loved this movie and find Marling to be stunning. It's almost impossible to take your eyes off of her. A star is born.
Grade: B

Seeking a Friend For the End of the World
Starring: Steve Carrell, Keira Knightley
Plot: Two strangers who have zero chemistry take a road trip to find the man's long lost love before the world ends.
Thoughts: Like I said, Carrell and Knightley have zero chemistry. Still, parts of this are really cute. But the ending ultimately ruined it for me. If it had ended a few moments earlier, I would have given this a much better grade.
Grade: D

The Deep Blue Sea
Starring: Rachel Weisz
Plot: A woman struggles with suicide and depression after leaving her rich husband for another man.
Thoughts: I tried to watch this once before, months ago, and I couldn't make it past twenty minutes. Still, it does get better. Some of it is visually stunning and Weisz is perfection. Still, kinda boring.
Grade: C

Damsels in Distress
Starring: Greta Gerwig
Plot: A group of college students try to prevent suicide and also dance.
Thoughts: Seriously, painful and unwatchable.
Grade: F

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Starring: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy
Plot: A group of older people move to India to live at a once thriving hotel.
Thoughts: This movie is quite charming and sweet. Of course, Maggie Smith is the queen bitch of the world. Love her. (That's a compliment)
Grade: B-

Your Sister's Sister
Starring: Emily Blunt, RoseMarie Dewitt, Mark Duplass
Plot: A down on his luck guy manages to become involved in a love triangle with his best friend and her lesbian sister while spending a weekend at a secluded cabin.
Thoughts: A really winning, cute movie with a very likeable cast.
Grade: B

Arbitrage
Starring: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Nate Parker, Tim Roth, Brit Marling
Plot: A super rich man becomes involved in a hit and run case while dealing with a failing business / fraud.
Thoughts: A really taut, exceptional thriller / drama. Performances by Gere and Parker are electrifying and worth the rental alone.
Grade: B

Pitch Perfect
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin
Plot: A freshman in college becomes involved in an accapella singing group.
Thoughts: When this movie is at it's best, it's campy, wonderful fun, reminiscent of Bring It On. When it's at its worst, it's cheesy and silly. Still, the fun wins out in the end.
Grade: B

Bachelorette

Bachelorette wants to be the female version of The Hangover, or a much rowdier version of Bridesmaids, but unfortunately if fails on both attempts. While the cast is winning, the overall despicable nature of the characters set it apart from Bridesmaids, where everyone was sort of loveable, and the fact that the jokes fail more times than they succeed set it apart from the hilarious Hangover.

Bachelorette opens with a friendly lunch between Regan (Kirsten Dunst) and Becky (Rebel Wilson). Regan is waxing poetic about how great her life is: she works with children with cancer, she dates a doctor, she's blonde and gorgeous and skinny and ultimately seemingly has the best life ever. Then Becky drops the bomb. She's getting married... before Regan... to a super hot, rich guy. Regan is floored, but her raging jealousy doesn't get in the way of her type A personality in which she needs to control everything and ultimately spends six months planning a fairytale wedding. Fast forward to the night before the wedding, when Regan and Becky are joined by their other two besties from high school - Gena (Lizzy Caplan), a snarky cynic whose life is ultimately a big huge mess, and Katie (Isla Fisher), who does A LOT of cocaine. I mean, A LOT. While at the rehearsal dinner, Katie is more concerned with drinking and doing cocaine, while Gena is concerned with the one who got away. Clyde (Adam Scott) broke her heart in high school and neither one of them really ever got over it. The post-rehearsal dinner bachelorette party hits the skids when the hired stripper accidentally calls Becky "Pig Face" (her high school nickname). Becky gets upset, calls the whole party off and heads to bed. This leaves Regan, Gena and Katie alone with lots of drugs and alcohol and a wedding dress which they ultimately destroy and then spend the rest of the night trying to fix in time for the early morning wedding.

If this movie works at all, it's because of the cast, which is phenomenal. Kirsten Dunst is great as the control freak who wants to help her friend plan the perfect wedding, but doesn't want it to be too perfect, because she's not-so-quietly wishing this was her wedding instead. Isla Fisher is hilarious as the dumb party girl friend who, despite all her faults, has a heart of gold. Adam Scott, who I love so much, is fantastic as the object of Gena's affection. Rebel Wilson is great, but her part is unfortunately too small. I wish the movie had more of her, because she is arguably the only likeable character in the whole film. But the true stand out of the cast, for me, was Lizzy Caplan, who plays dark and damaged and cynical so, so, so very well.

Like I said, it's raunchy and wants to be The Hangover, but it's not nearly funny enough. There are a few funny parts but ultimately, most of the jokes fall short. Also, it doesn't have near enough heart to be like Bridesmaids, which succeeded because it was a very funny movie that celebrated female friendship. These girls are the ultimate mean girls, jealous, insecure and in constant need of putting someone down (in this case, the overweight bride who doesn't feel good enough for her hottie fiancee). While you do get a sense that these girls care about each other a little bit, they ultimately are terrible people who you really can't believe care that much about anything besides themselves.

Grade: C+